On August 12, the comedy blockbuster 'Free Guy' hits theaters, possibly the main entertainment film of this summer.
After 7 years, Shawn Levy, director of hits like 'Night at the Museum', 'Cheaper by the Dozen' and one of the creators of 'Stranger Things', returns to big cinema with 'Free Guy'. And this return is close to triumphant, with the film itself being the best entertainment attraction of the summer.
'The Truman Show' for the Fortnite generation
A guy (Ryan Reynolds) is an ordinary bank employee who gets up at the crack of dawn every day, puts on a blue shirt, drinks standard coffee with cream, and wishes everyone a wonderful day. The only hitch in his life is the absence of the girl of his dreams. And also the fact that the Guy is just an NPC in the popular multiplayer game Free City.
On an ordinary day, the Guy notices a mysterious girl (Jodie Comer from 'Killing Eve') and deviates from his prescribed scripts because of her, becoming a full-fledged participant in the big game.
One Western review had a spot-on, if not entirely accurate, assessment of the film — 'The Truman Show' for the Fortnite generation. And indeed, the main character (pardon the pun) goes through similar experiences, realizing at one fine moment that everything around him is fake: his job, his friends, the surrounding reality. Only instead of TV sets and actors, we have the trappings of an online game in the spirit of GTA mixed with Fortnite, and players in fancy skins.
However, the ideological component of the films differs drastically. 'Free Guy' carries a message that may be simple and banal, but is very important — every person can be the main character of their own life. It doesn't matter what they do for a living — security guard, clerk, barista, programmer. It doesn't matter how much they earn or what tasks they solve. The main thing is to enjoy it all and not think that the affairs and concerns of others are more important than your own. And in this regard, the localized title of the film can be considered a great success for our distributors.
Excellent humor, meta-commentary, unexpected cameos
Philosophy aside, 'Free Guy' is, first and foremost, a comedy. Yes, an expensive one. Yes, a sweeping one. Yes, with a huge number of special effects (not always perfect, by the way). But a comedy through and through. And quite a funny one. And diverse.
Often the humor in the film is based on the differences between the world that is real for us and the one familiar to the Guy. For him, it's normal when helicopters are exploding all around, his bank is robbed several times a day, and he himself dies and comes back to life over and over again (like Bill Murray's character in 'Groundhog Day'). And the authors can be praised for many well-observed small details.
A lot of humor in 'Free Guy' is based on playing with clichés. The authors good-naturedly poke fun at both Marvel movies and 90s rom-coms.
There was also meta-humor. For instance, Taika Waititi's monologue about KFC and sequels became arguably the funniest of the year. The sharp jabs at major Hollywood studios and their conveyor belts look appropriate and extremely entertaining in an original project.
The cameos deserve a special mention. There are many of them here, for every taste. From star streamers (like Ninja) and Channing Tatum, once again skillfully making fun of himself, to very unexpected guests. At the premiere screening, the appearance of one of them literally drew applause from the audience. We won't say who it is, but you'll definitely like it.
The acting in the film is also top-notch. Did anyone doubt that Ryan Reynolds could perfectly embody the image of a charming and attractive goof? But while that was expected, Jodie Comer in the role of a kind of femme fatale looked unexpectedly organic (yes, even considering 'Killing Eve').
Taika Waititi, who has been appearing frequently this year as an actor in films not his own, perfectly fit the role of a quirky boss of a commercial studio. He made for a caricatured antagonist, but not without charm. The only downside was the dubbing. Attempts to mug and use youth slang were unconvincing.
Is 'Free Guy' worth watching?
Shawn Levy managed to create a universal comedy that will simultaneously appeal to gamers and geeks (the references and Easter eggs in the film could fill a separate article) and to ordinary viewers who have missed good-natured and spectacular stories. And if the recent '' was full of controversial jokes and cartoonish violence that not all viewers appreciate, then 'Free Guy', without any glaring flaws, is a more convincing contender for the title of the main summer blockbuster of 2021.
The second 'Suicide Squad' is the main blockbuster of the summer season, which could change the situation with age ratings in superhero movies.
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